Combined hinge and flow valve



April 1939- w. c. GROENIGER 2,153,536

COMBINED HINGE AND mow VALVE Filed Sept. 25, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 v as 54 24 5 2s INVENTOR WIHIQXYI roem en" FY M "I ms TORNEY April'll, 1939. w. c. GROENIGER 2,153,536

COMBINED HINGE AND mow vALvE Filed Sept. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /lllllllllllllll;;lllll4 62 I 154 INVENTOR WiHipm C. Groeni er 5Q av 35 ms OR EY' Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED HINGE AND FLOW VALVE Application scptember 25, 1937, Serial No. 165,657

Claims.

5 the bowl, such bowls and wall-scouring structures generally being more fully set forth in my presently copending application Serial No. 163,382, entitled Combined seat and flush rim.

The present invention provides for a combined seat hinge and flush-rim supply valve, the stated combined hinge-valve being arranged to permit the flow of flushing water through the flush rim means only when the seat is in lowered position. Additionally and incidentally, the present invention provides means for positively precluding back siphonage of the contents of the bowl into the water supply system under all possible status of operation including flooding or overflow of the bowl and coincident circumstance of sub-atmospheric pressures, inclusive of absolute vacuum, in the water supply line, said anti-siphonage means advantageously including the flush rim and its therewith associated hinge-valve structure.

The invention is applicable to any desired type of closet bowl structure and to any desired arrangement of water supply and manner of discharge of the contents of the bowl into a soil pipe or equivalent.

As set forth in my stated co-pending application, the flush rim is constructed mechanically independently of the closet bowl structure per se and desirably mechanically directly associated with the seat. Preferably, the flush rim is directly carried by the seat; most preferably the 35 flush rim and seat are mechanically formed as a unit.

Such combined seat-flush rim structure may be pivotally mounted to provide movement of the same to lowered position and to raised position, a range of movement usually over an arc of approximately 100 degrees, in which raised position the flush rim structure inclusive of its rim jet openings are brought into wholly accessible position, affording full inspection and repair of necessary, ready cleansing or sanitary treatment, and other advantages wholly unavailable in the conventional closet bowl having its flush rim of integral structure with the upper rim of the bowl.

In preferred embodiments of my invention, the above tated pivotal seat mounting may include a water-flow-Dermitting hinge structure having a flow control valve associated therewith and preferably integrally a part thereof, said hinge and control valve affording connection between a source of flushing water or equivalent eifluent, usually a flushing-water supply channel, and the flush-rim structure.

Advantageously, the stated hinge means may include co-acting hollow tubular elements, ar- '5 ranged to telescope one Within the other, each element being provided with a valve-port. Suitable control over the flushing water discharge may be had by disposing the stated valve-ports in such manner that they come into flow-permit- 1o ting register only over a relatively small fractional portion of the swing of the seat and its preferably associated flush rim from lowered to raised position, the said valve thus being arranged to cut off flow of water through the rim- 15 flush openings before the raised position of the flush rim would permit water discharge beyond the confines of the bowl. Preferably, the inner telescoping member includes a channel unitarily connected with the flush rim means, the outer member being rigidly secured to the closet bowl structure and arranged to receive flushing water or equivalent efiluent from a suitable passage within the closet bowl.

Advantageously, when the flush rim structure is in its lowered position, the rim jet openings thereof are disposed at a clearance appreciably above the maximum overflow spill level of the closet bowl, thereby afiording, through the rim jet openings and the therewith associated connection to the water-supply channel, an air break means effective for immediately dissipating vacuum or other abnormal pressure condition within the water supply channel, and thereby precluding siphonage of the contents of the bowl through the flush rim structure into the flushing water supply system.

Advantageously, a dual air break arrangement formed integral with the above stated water channel and as such disassociated with the flush rim means, may be provided, said means comprising one or more openings affordingan atall-times open passage between the atmospheric and the water supply channel. Such openings may be located substantially vertically above the maximum overflow spill level of the bowl, thereby presenting an always-opencommunication effective immediately to dissipate vacuum conditions within the water supply channel regardless of the operative position of the stated flushrim control valve means. Additionally, the openings may function to discharge water into the bowl in a manner effective to scour the inner faces of the bowl, usually at the rear thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a defecator bowl, typical of a closet bowl, provided with a combined seat and flush rim means and therewith associated hinge and valve means, pursuant to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, partly in section to show the flush rim means and its associated combined hinge and flow-valve;

Fig. 3 is a detail section, enlarged, taken on the lines 3--3 of Fig. 1, and showing the combined hinge and flow valve in water-flow permitting position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through lines 4-4 of the valve and seat structure of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View, partly in section showing another embodiment of my combined hinge and valve means;

Fig. 6 is a representation of the structure of Fig. 4, the seat being in partially raised position; the valve means of the combined seat and hinge structure being fully closed by such seat movement.

Referring to the drawings, the closet bowl I0 may be of any desired form of construction and arranged for any desired manner of discharge. By any form of construction I include closet bowls of the conventional syphon wash-down type, syphon jet type, blow-out, i. e., ejector type, combined bowl and tank type, hopper type, or of the momentum jet type, the last named usually including a vortical jet opening.

Mechanically directly associated with such bowl Ill, pursuant to the present invention, is provided a flushing-liquid supply chamber I2 having an intake opening [4, suitably arranged for connecting with a source of flushing water or equivalent flushing liquid, said source commonly including a flush tank or piping equipped with a fiushometer valve, etc., as preferred. As illustrated in the drawings, the flushing supply chamber may be integral with the structure of the bowl proper ID, wallsIG-JG, I1 and I8 of the defecator in part defining the chamber I2.

As shown in Fig. 1, the wall I8 serving in common as a wall of the water supply chamber I2 and an upper wall portion of the bowl proper I0, may have an offset frontal portion I9, the juncture of said wall portions providing an advantageous location for a discharge jet port 20 communicating at its upper end with the interior of the water supply chamber I2 and having its lower open end disposed in proximity of the inner face of the bowl proper. The stated port 20 is preferably constructed to direct one or more jets in scouring relation with such inner face of the bowl proper, advantageously at the rear thereof.

Such opening 20 affords an at-all-times open communication between atmospheric air and the interior of chamber I2, and preferably, the lower end of such opening 20 is at a clearance appreciably vertically above the overflow spill level of the closet bowl, for the purposes herein set forth.

In the defecator bowl illustrated herein, and for the reasons more fully set forth in my stated copending application, flush rim means for washing the upper sides of the bowl II] are mechanically independent of the bowl structure per se. Such flush rim structure may include a pivotally mounted flush rim channel mechanically independent of bowl structure or customary bowl seat means.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the seat means and therewith mechanically asso-- ciated flush rim means are structurally unitarily combined, in that such unitary structure is of hollow formation, the interior of which is arranged to receive a suitable conduit 22 which serves as a flush rim channel. The upper wall portion of such hollow formation is suitably contoured to serve as the seat proper 24. A plurality of suitably configurated and directed rim jet openings are indicated by reference number 23. The seat means may advantageously be formed of suitable moldable material and conduit 22 incorporated therein during the molding process.

Means are provided for insuring that the rim jet openings 23, when the combined seat and flush rim means are in lowered position, are vertically appreciably above the overflow spill level of the closet bowl, that is, the maximum level at which overflow from the bowl takes place. As illustrated in the drawings, such clearance may be had by suitable bumpers 28 carried at the under wall face of the combined seat-flush rim means and arranged to engage the upper rim of the bowl when the combined seat-flush rim means are in lowered position.

In this invention, a novel hinge and valve structure is utilized to pivotally support the seat and its preferably therewith combined flush-rim channel, said hinge additionally serving to supply water to the flush rim under certain predetermined conditions of seat position, as presently described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown, a combined hinge and valve unit 28 is shown as including co-acting preferably tubular elements 30, 32, arranged to cooperate in conducting flushing water from the chamber I2 to the interior of the flush rim channel 22, or to prevent such water flow, as desired. Tubular element 32 is formed with a preferably integral water inlet leg 34 having inlet ports 35 milled or otherwise pierced through quadrants of the walls thereof. As shown in Fig. 2, the leg 34 is arranged to support its associated hinge structure, and accordingly may be rigidly secured to the rear structure of defecator bowl I0, as by passing through suitable openings (see 31, Fig. 3) in walls I6 and I9 thereof, and fixedly clamped or secured to the said walls through the agency of a water-leg closure cap and clamping means 36. As clearly appears in Fig. 1, water leg 34 of each hinge and flow valve structure 28 passes through sidewardly extending channels I3-I3 of water chamber I2, and the therewith connecting inlet ports thus permit the free entry of flushing water to the stated water legs. open spaces suitable for the installation and concealment of caps 36.

Each cap 36 has an internal thread to receive a male-threaded end of leg 34, and is provided with a bearing shoulder 38 which cooperates with a removable washer 43, arranged to bear against wall I9, in clamping the stated leg 34 and its associated hinge structure to the stated bowl walls. As will be noted from Fig. 3, leg 34 may be provided with a bearing shoulder 42, or equivalent for engagement with the washer 40. Suitable resilient gaskets, as 44, Fig. 3, may be provided to serve as a water-tight seal to prevent leakage of flushing water from the stated chamber I2.

Hinge-member 30, see Fig. 3, may comprise a tubular sleeve, closed at one end as shown, and arranged to receive in close, slidable engagement the end portion of tubular hinge-member 32, the latter acting as the hinge pintle and being As shown in Fig. 2, walls I6 and I1 provide smoothly cylindrical, to permit the free rotation of sleeve 30 thereon. Preferably, the stated sleeve 30 is formed as an integral part of the rim channel 22, connecting therewith by a passage 2|. The rim channel and its therewith associated sleeve may be of brass or other rust-resisting metal, or suitable moldable plastic incorporated into the seat proper during the molding or other formation of the seat structure.

It is preferred to employ two complete waterflow providing hinge units 28 to support the combined seat and flush-rim means, and to insure adequate water supply to, and distribution within, the flush rim channel 22. In the embodiments of my invention shown herein, the hinge structure engages a suitable rear extension 25 of seat 24, the elements 36, 32 being at right angles to the vertical plane of swing of the seat. By forming the sleeves 30 as an integral part of rim channel 22, the operative alignment of the sleeves may be definitely established.

Advantageously, the outer end 46 of the ele ment 30 may be enlarged or belled, and provided with internal screw threading. The belled portion accommodates suitable packing B, which may be compressed to form a water-tight seal around the wall of element 32 by a suitable packing nut 52. It will be observed that the access to the packing space may be had by unscrewing the packing nut 52, thus enabling repacking without the disturbance of the hinge structure.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the stated hinge elements 30, 32, incorporate valve means whereby the fiow of water into and through the flush rim 22 may be permitted only under certain positions of the seat and its therewith associated flush rim.'

Such valve means may comprise suitable ports or orifices 3|, 33, respectively formed in the side walls of the elements 36, 32, and arranged to come into full flow-permitting registry, i. e. open to channel-passage 2i, only when the seat and flush rim structure is in its lowered position.

As shown in Fig. 6, closure of the valve means may be accomplished merely by moving the seat into raised position, during which movement a solid wall portion of element 36 moves to completely cover the port 33 and thus close communication between water-leg 34 and passage 2| of flush-rim channel 22. By suitable arrangement of the stated port means, the flow into flush rim 22 may be entirely out off at any desired point of upward movement of the seat.

During the bowl-flushing operation, the flushing water or equivalent eflluent flows in part through channel 54 into bowl II]; in part through rear bowl-wall-scouring orifice 23; and in part through the ports 35 of water-leg 34 of hinge structure 28 whence it flows into cylindrical element 32. Assuming the seat and flush rim means to be in lowered position, flow of water continues through ports 3|, 33 and into flush rim channel 22, finally to be discharged through rim jet openings 23 to accomplish scouring of the inner walls of the bowl III.

In the circumstance of flushing the bowl with the seat in raised position, the flow of water into the channel 22 is prevented by the blocking of orifice 33 by the solid wall portion of sleeve or element 30.

Preferably, the inner terminal end of element 32 is closed by a suitable plug 56, see Fig. 3, to bar discharge of flushing water into the endportion of sleeve 30 and thus to eliminate a possible source of leakage into the contact area of the wall surfaces of the stated hinge elements.

The embodiment of my combined seat-hinge and valve structure shown in Figure 5 advantageously incorporates a valve-member organization similar or equivalent to that illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and described above.

The embodiment of Figure 5 is illustrated in its application to a closet bowl structure in which the flushing-water chamber I2 has sidewardly extending water flow passages I3-I3 similar to those shown in Figure 2, but disposed at the rear of the bowl structure. Such arrangement provides open spaces between forward, upper wall I9 and channel-forming walls I6 of the bowl structure.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the fixed hollow element I32 of hinge and valve means I28 and its preferably integral water leg I34 form a substantially U-shaped structure. As shown, water-leg I 34 is arranged to communicate with flow passage I3 of chamber I2 by entering said passage through the side wall thereof. Suitable watertight securing devices such as the nuts I29 and gaskets IZIla are employed to effect the desired Water-tight connection.

For supporting each seat and hinge structure, there is preferably employed a suitable support or anchor I69, said support advantageously being of the nature of a ring-bolt, the ring portion of which is of suitable inside diameter to accommodate element I32. Anchors I60 are preferably disposed adjacent the seat structure at the sides thereof, and may be secured by the cooperating threaded extension IEI thereof and nut I62 to upper wall I9 of the defecator bowl structure, as shown. The anchors I60 thereby support substantially the entire strain imposed on the hingestructure mounting means, it being understood that in both embodiments of my combined seathinge and water flow valve structure disclosed herein, the stated bumpers 26 support a substantial proportion of the weight of the occupant of the seat.

To effect adequate drainage of water from the water legs of the hinge and valve means, it is preferred that these legs have a slight downward pitch in the direction of the combined seat and flush rim structure. Complete drainage may then be had by the expedient of lowering the seat to its bowl-rim-supported position, whereupon residual water in the stated water legs or their associated valve members will drain into the passage 22 and from there into the bowl I0. As indicated in Fig. 4, the disposition of the valve ports 3|, 33 with respect to sloping passage 2i permits complete drainage.

It is within the contemplation of this invention to have the seat means and flush rim means mechanically disass'ociated, each structure pivotally secured by the same hinge means and swingable independently of the other. In such arrangement, supply and control of the flow of flushing water to the flush rim means may be effected as hereinbefore described, or by equivalent structure.

In the circumstance of sub-atmospheric pressure condition, inclusive of absolute vacuum, in the water distribution system supplying the flushing water, and including the abnormal coincident circumstance of a stoppage effective to raise the water level of the bowl to overflow status, back flow of the contents of the bowl into the water distribution system engendered by syphonic flow resulting from such sub-atmospheric pressure condition is positively precluded by the admission of atmospheric air into chamber I2 through jet opening 20. Advantageously, the cross-sectional area of jet opening 20 exceeds the minimum cross-sectional area of the piping or its therewith associated flushometer valve means or equivalent supplying the flushing water, and thus jet opening 20 is effective to admit sufficient atmospheric airinto chamber !2 to maintain atmospheric pressure conditions within chamber l2 at all times and to dispel the vacuum within the water system. Advantageously also, the total area of the flush-rim openings 23, and the area of valve ports 3|, 33 may each be equal or in eX- cess of the area of jet opening 2E.

The prevention of back fiow of the contents of the bowl and the subsequent complete dissipation of vacuum in the water supply system takes place, it will be noted, independently of the opened or closed status of the valve ports 3|, 33 of combined hinge and flow valves 28 or I28. Should the combined seat-flush rim means be in lowered position in the circumstance of sub-atmospheric conditions in the water supply line, rim jet openings 23 being disposed vertically clearably above the overflow spill level, atmospheric air flows inwardly through flush rim openings 22 and through valve ports 3|, 33 and the water leg of the hinge structures into chamber l2, to function additively with the jet opening 20 in the immediate dissipation of such vacuum condition.

The vertical clearance of rim-jet openings 23 above the maximum overflow spill level of the bowl l0 precludes fouling or contamination of the rim-jet openings or flush rim channel through contact with the contents of the bowl.

As set forth in my presently co-pending application Serial No. 163,383, entitled Defecator with combined flushing jet and air break, the lower end of jet opening 20 is preferably disposed sufficiently above the maximum overflow spill level of the bowl 10 to preclude the entry of the bowl contents into jet 20 under any conditions of surface disturbance or wave formation of the bowl contents, or the lifting effect of the passage of atmospheric air through opening 26 and into chamber [2.

Whereas, I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a defecator, the combination with a closet bowl having a flushing-water supply channel and seat means and therewith combined flush rim means, said flush rim means comprising a. conduit having a plurality of outlet ports arranged to discharge against the side walls of the closet bowl, of combined seat-hinge and valve means effective to permit the flow of flushing water to the said flush rim means when the seat is in lowered position and to cut off the said flow when the seat is in raised position.

2. In a defecator having a bowl and means for flushing said bowl to effect discharge therefrom, the combination of pivotally mounted seat means and therewith unitarily combined flush-rim means for washing the sides of the said bowl, said seat means including a hinge arranged to permit the swing ofthe seat means relatively to the bowl over a predetermined are, said hinge additionally providing continuous. flow of flushing water to and through said flush-rim means. over a predetermined portion of said swing.

3. 'In a. defecator, the combination with a closet bowl having a flushing water supply channel and combined seat means and flush-rim means, said flush rim means comprising a conduit having a mechanical connection with said seat, said conduit being provided with a plurality of outlet ports arranged to discharge against the inner side walls of the closet bowl, of a Water-passing seat hinge arranged to permit the seat to be swung through a predetermined .arc,. said hinge having means providing for the entry of flushing water thereto and providing water-flow-permitting connection with the stated flush rim means only over a predetermined portion of the arc of seat swing.

4. In a defecator having a bowl, means forfiushing said bowl to effect discharge therefrom, and integrally combined seat and flush-rim for washing the upper sides of the bowl during the bowl-flushing operation, a combined seat-hinge and valve means effective to support the seat and permit upward swing thereof from a bowlrim supported position to a position substantially vertical with respect thereto and to supply flushing water to said rim-flush means, said valve including water flow member arranged to be fixedly secured to said defecator and arranged to communicate with a source of flushing water and a member disposed in movable operative relationshipwith said first member and communicating with said flush-rim means, said valve members having ports formed in adjacent walls, said ports being arranged to register with each other to permit flow of water into and through the flush rim only while said flush rim is substantially adjacent the closet bowl rim.

5. For a defecator having a bowl, a source of flushing water therefor, said source including a flushing water inlet channel, the combination with seat means and therewith unitarily combined flush-rim means mechanically independent of the defecator bowl per se, said flush rim means comprising a conduit provided with a plurality of openings directed against the upper interior wall of .the'bowl, of means common to said seat and flush rim means for hingedly supporting said seat and said flush-rim means on said defecator, said means including a rotatable water connection between said flush-rim and said water inlet channel and a flow valve unitarily combined with said rotatable water connection, said valve operated by moving the said flush-rim about said rotatable Water connection as an axis.

WILLIAM C. GROENIGER. 

